Tennis is a gruelling sport that can really take its toll on players both physically and mentally.
Ons Jabeur has recently announced she is taking a break from the sport, as she bids ‘to rediscover the joy of simply living’.
Even multiple-time Grand Slam champions have struggled this year, with Carlos Alcaraz also considering taking a break earlier this year.
Now an ATP player who once claimed he had what it takes to become world number one has announced that he will be taking a break of his own after dropping down the rankings.
Photo by Silas Schueller/DeFodi Images via Getty ImagesMaxime Cressy announces he is taking a break from tennis
Maxime Cressy is an American player who has a career-high ranking of world number 31.
He achieved this ranking in 2022, the same year that he won his maiden ATP title at the Hall of Fame Open in Newport, Rhode Island.
However, Cressy has not enjoyed so much success since then, and has not won a match on the main ATP Tour since July 2024.
The 28-year-old has only won two of his last 10 matches on the lower-level ATP Challenger Tour, with his most recent loss coming via retirement at the tournament in Tyler, Texas.
This drop-off in form has seen Cressy plummet down the rankings to world number 681, which is his lowest ranking in seven years.
In a new post on social media, Cressy announced that he will now be taking an indefinite break from the sport to recover from a long-term back problem that he has been managing since 2023.
“Hi everyone!” Cressy began in his Instagram post. “I just wanted to be honest and transparent: I’ve decided to step away from the tour for the time being to focus on recovering from an ongoing lower back injury.
“Since 2023, I have had severe lower back pain but I played through it again and again. Today, it has reached a point where I can no longer compete an entire match competitively. I have dedicated my entire life to becoming the best tennis player I can be, I wished it was to be the best but I know that I have given my absolute best effort and I have the peace of mind with that knowingness.
“I’m grateful for the support and love I’ve received throughout my career, and for those who’ve stood beside me both on and off the court.”
When did Maxime Cressy claim he had what it takes to become world number one?
This is a dramatic fall for Cressy, who once had huge hopes for his career after winning his first ATP title in Newport.
When speaking to the ATPTour.com after that victory, Cressy revealed his goals to reach the summit of the rankings.
“Regardless of the ups and downs, my ranking has just skyrocketed really fast in the past two years,” Cressy said at the time. “Considering all the failures that I’ve had, it’s been kind of crazy, because I definitely feel like I’ve fallen down a lot.
“But I rose back up quickly, I never gave up and I stayed resilient. Being just outside the top 30 that quickly is a huge indication that I have what it takes to be world number one. I don’t think that belief is ever going to change.”
Cressy has only declined in the rankings since then, and it is now unclear if he will ever play professional tennis again.